JAVIER MASCHERANO may be handed only a further one-match ban as the fall-out over his dismissal against Manchester United continues.

The FA will today review footage of the Argentine’s controversial red card and study the match report of referee Steve Bennett before deciding whether to punish the Liverpool midfielder.

Mascherano is expected to be charged with improper conduct, with Bennett’s report understood to make a point of mentioning the player’s failure to immediately leave the field after his sending-off.

The Argentina international was dismissed for picking up two yellow cards at Old Trafford on Sunday, the second of which was for dissent a minute before half-time.

Being sent off for two bookable offences carries an instant one-match suspension, with Mascherano already ruled out of this Sunday’s Merseyside derby at Anfield.

But the player’s refusal to leave the pitch straight away will prompt the FA to almost certainly increase the length of his ban.

Early indications suggested Mascherano was facing a further two-game suspension, which would see him miss the trip to Arsenal on April 5 and the home clash with Blackburn Rovers on April 13.

But the FA set a precedent yesterday with the case of Watford’s John Eustace, who was sent off against Stoke City on March 15 and subsequently charged with improper conduct for confronting the referee and failing to leave the field of play.

Eustace admitted the charge and was yesterday handed a further one-match suspension and a £1,500 fine.

However, given the high-profile nature of Mascherano’s dismissal and the current debate over respect for referees, the FA’s disciplinary commission may choose to make an example of the 23-year-old.

Mascherano is already facing an automatic club fine for his sending-off, which helped ensure Liverpool slumped to a 3-0 defeat to league leaders United.

Rafael Benitez was disappointed with the circumstances surrounding Mascherano’s red card, and yesterday revealed he will seek talks with referees chief Keith Hackett over the incident.

The Liverpool manager admitted after the game that Mascherano had made a “mistake”, but is keen to enter into a dialogue with Hackett over a “solution” to the problems at Old Trafford.

“I would like to speak to Keith Hackett because it is important that we find a solution,” said the Liverpool manager.

“At Liverpool, we respect the game, we respect the rules and we respect the referee, and it is important to remember that Mascherano was the first Liverpool player to be sent off in the league this season.”

Meanwhile, it has been revealed Howard Webb will referee this Sunday’s crucial Merseyside derby against Everton at Anfield with both sides pressing for fourth place.